Special Post: The Top 100 Horror Movies of the Decade(26-50)

Who says there are not good horror films anymore? This decade(2000-2009) produced some of the best horror films of all time, and many other memorable ones sure to become classics someday. The notion that there are no good horror films anymore lies in fault due to Hollywood passing over many of these films in favor of lesser quality flicks that only aim to make money and appease the moronic general public. Be it as it may, these films are getting the recognition they deserve in this blog. It’s the least I could do. Now here I gave you numbers 26 through 50…

50. Wrong Turn

- Director Rob Schmidt took a cliché and over done sub-genre, consisting of naive individuals venturing into the woods and being killed off by cannibals, and still found a way to make it a fun and enjoyable watch for us fans. Wrong Turn moves quickly and thanks to superb execution is filled with great scares and shocking gore. If I ever head to a pizza/beer/wings night, this film will be in tow with me. Read my full review for this film here: Wrong Turn

49. Red Dragon

- Continuing the Hannibal Lecter saga but in prequel form, Red Dragon kept the same elements of The Silence of the Lambs by relying on a great storyline, good horror, and awesome character performances. Surpassing the previous installment, Hannibal, this flick gave us a great serial killer with an interesting logic behind what he does. Of course, once again we get a film that does not center directly on Hannibal Lecter, yet he steals the leading role regardless of his lesser screen time, all thanks to Anthony Hopkins’ perfect portrayal of “The Cannibal”. Read my full review for this film here: Red Dragon

48. The Devil’s Rejects

- The Devil’s Rejects is Rob Zombie’s sophomore effort behind House of 1,000 Corpses, and his best work to date. Highly reminiscent of the exploitation flicks from the 70s, this film is a modern day mix of Hooper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Craven’s The Last House on the Left. Full of grit, gore, awesome characters(except for Sherri Moon’s), and a perfect soundtrack for this type of flick, Zombie struck gold and gave true horror fans a modern day taste of the style we grew up loving. Read my full review for this film here: The Devil’s Rejects

47. Freddy vs. Jason

- We waited for over a decade, ever since the epic conclusion of Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday, for this film centering on a group of friends who find themselves caught between Freddy and Jason’s carnage to happen. When word that Freddy vs. Jason was finally going into production broke out, the horror world waited in anticipation, and thankfully we were rewarded for our patience. Giving us equal amounts of Jason and Freddy carnage, this flick brings on the gore and gives numerous shout-outs for fans of both characters. As if this couldn’t sound any cooler, we get the epic battle we waited over a decade for, in one of horror’s coolest climaxes ever simply because of who it involves. Read my full review for this film here: Freddy vs. Jason

46. Triangle

- Christopher Smith’s third straight positive effort(after Creep and Severance), Triangle gives us a unique take on the psychological horror sub-genre by focusing on an element seldom used in the genre…déjà vu. Intricately weaving multiple layers on the story into one cohesive piece, you are forced to pay close attention from the get-go, and are awarded with a satisfying story that displays the true horror of the mind that results from not knowing what is fact or just a figment of your imagination. This is a story-driven film, but great direction and awesome FX for this low-budget watch make it one of the better mind-f*ck horror films out there. Read my full review for this film here: Triangle

45. Amusement

- Amusement is one of the few films on this list to truly freak me out, which comes as a surprise given its underrated status in the horror genre. Delivering one of the genre’s creepiest and most diabolical slashers, we follow three apparently unrelated victims of The Laugh’s heinous game of mental torture in this perfectly paced and uniquely written film. John Simpson(Freeze Frame)’s beautiful visuals and amazing sets compliment the horror viewed on screen, which includes possibly the creepiest usage of a clown that I have ever seen. Read my full review for this film here: Amusement

44. Paranormal Activity

- The little film that could, Paranormal Activity shocked the nation with it’s amazing scare factor from such a low budget. Showing that true film making is measured in heart and not dollar signs, Oren Peli’s well-executed debut effort was a great watch that gave me one of the scariest scenes I’ve ever seen(the “pulled out of bed” scene). Although a multitude of moronic viewers denounced this film saying “there’s no way it’s real” when the film NEVER CLAIMED TO BE REAL, true horror fans were given a treat that give a sincere “f*ck you” to Hollywood and their money hog producers. Read my full review on this film here: Paranormal Activity

43. District 9

- Told in an interesting pseudo-documentary fashion, District 9 was another excellent F-you to Hollywood that debuted this year. Its hard to find an original alien film these days, but District 9 defies that by throwing in a creative plot involving mankind’s apartheid-esque treatment of visiting aliens to a convoluted horror sub-genre often falling victim to cliches. Aided by amazing special effects and a great character performance by Sharlto Copley, this low-budget film(by Hollywood standards) was a great watch sure to please fans of the horror/sci-fi genre. Read my full review on this film here: District 9

42. Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer

- I just love it when lower budget DTV horror flicks outdo nearly everything Hollywood puts out these days, and Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer does just that. Much in the vein of the fun 80s flicks we adore so much, Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer is a fun and gory ride that gives us great live action creatures and blends just the right amount of campy humor as well. We get a sweet story about a man(Trevor Matthews; The Shrine) who as a child had his family killed by a monster and must now fight off a slew of monsters inhabiting his community college. As an added plus, watching Robert Englund go from dorky college chemistry professor to a giant man eating creature that resembles a near-mirror image of Nancy Pelosi is just plain awesome as well. Read my full review for this film here: Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer

41. Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

- This awesome flick about a slasher who allows a news crew to follow him as he plans his kills and eventually follows them out(reminiscent of French film Man Bites Dog) did for the slasher sub-genre what Shaun of the Dead did for the zombie sub-genre. A devout shout-out to our heroes Jason Vorhees, Michael Myers, and Freddy Krueger, Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon in fact went deeper into it’s genre than Shaun of the Dead did with it’s genre. This Scott Glosserman film one of the coolest and most original entries in the slasher genre I’ve seen in a very long time, plus Robert Englund has a role and Kane Hodder has a cameo. Hell yeah! Read my full review for this film here: Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

40. May

- May is a fantastic watch thanks to it’s unique plot and great execution, both products of Lucky McKee. May(Angela Bettis), a social outcast, longs for the embrace of a real friend. When her only real friend, a doll she cherishes, is broken, she decides to make one…literally. As each of the few friendships she has turn sour she kills the person and saves her favorite physical feature from them, until this film’s epic conclusion where she must use a valuable part of her own body to complete her perfect friend. With good performances from all involved May began the careers of both Angela Bettis and Lucky McKee, two horror favorites.

39. Audition

- Arguably Takashi Miike’s most beautiful piece, Audition showed the true power in direction this guy holds. Japan’s premier horror director gave us a film that goes to two great extremes and blends them perfectly. What starts off as a romantic comedy turns into the one the most brutal and grotesque third acts ever seen in the horror genre, not only quirky laughs at first but in the end some of the more unforgettable scenes of horror. This man is a legend, and Audition is his shocking opus. Read my full review on this film here: Audition

38. Frailty

- Frailty is one of the genre’s most underrated films of all time, which not only brings a good story but comes directed from Bill Paxton(Aliens, Predator 2), a horror vet himself. Starring Bill Paxton himself and Matthew McConaughey, this engaging watch told in the past and present about a man who believes God has ordained him a killer of those he believes to be demons was a sleeper that went on to gain a big following in the horror realm. Paxton does a lot with a very low budget thanks to the film’s great storyline and awesome a performance by Paxton in both acting and direction. Read my full review on this film here: Frailty

37. Cloverfield

- You know my love for monster flicks, and with JJ Abrams’ love for making everything he does larger than life, he and director Matt Reeves did an awesome job with Cloverfield. Shown in the POV filming style, this flick brings us closer than ever to the feeling of what it would really be like to be in a city attacked by a giant creature. Not only is the creature awesome, but the “what you don’t see is what scares you” tactic is used through most of the film’s development until the epic third act that lets us have full-frontal creature action. Thanks to the coolest viral marketing campaign I have ever seen, Cloverfield caught my attention and had me dying to see it from day one, and my excitement was rewarded greatly. Read my full review for this film here: Cloverfield

36. Splinter

- This sleeper shocked the horror world with how amazing it was and how it used very little to do accomplish such results. We get a very interesting antagonist in this film about a group of individuals who come across a parasite in the form of wood splinters, resulting in harrowing decisions and brutal pain for those unfortunate enough to contract the parsite. Never before have I seen this type of parasite used for conflict, and although a wood splinter sounds a bit cheezy…it is not. The way the parasite was employed by director Toby Wilkins was awesome, and if you are a biology nut like me then you will love this Splinter even more. Read my full review for this film here: Splinter

35. Signs

- Writer/Director/Producer M. Night Shyamalan picked the perfect setting for a film about a farming family realizing their farm is one of many on the front lines of an alien invasion. The isolated corn farm is the perfect atmosphere for great scares in the dead of night, and M. Night ensues the creep factor is high and our interest peaked higher as the film goes on until his awesome Shyamalan trademark conclusion. The guy really knows how to write a great horror flick, and I still believe this is his greatest work. Read my full review for this film here: Signs

34. Ginger Snaps

- It sure is tough being a teenage girl these days, especially when you’ve been bitten by a werewolf. Ginger Snaps is a film we can all relate to with it’s high school setting, and is a film aimed at females that can also be enjoyed by males too. Director John Fawcett included all of the right ingredients; gothicly hot lead actresses, lots of gore, perfect gloomy atmosphere, and a dark and moody score that makes this a great and creepy watch. Karen Walton’s screenplay is equally well-written, plus we do not get nearly as many werewolf flicks as we do zombie and vampire flicks, so it is nice to appreciate them when we can. Read my full review for this film here: Ginger Snaps

33. Repo! The Genetic Opera

- There is one BIG reason this Repo! The Genetic Opera made this list, I hate musicals…and LOVED this film. This flick excels with an awesome plot about a repo man that repossessions organs that are not paid for, and aside from lots of gore is accompanied by some awesome music. Keeping the dark and gloomy feel throughout, the songs follow the influence of NIN and Tool, with a dark and industrial feel that blends perfectly with the film’s modern setting. Great performances from all, including the surprisingly well sung Paris Hilton, aid this superbly-directed Darren Lynn Bousman(Saw II, Saw III, Saw IV) effort and make it a very fun and enjoyable watch. A horror musical? It sounded silly at first, but Repo! The Genetic Opera just plain rules. Read my full review for this film here: Repo! The Genetic Opera

32. Dawn of the Dead(remake)

- Much like The Hills Have Eyes remake, this was a very positive experience of a film adapted from a horror classic. Because the original Dawn of the Dead is my favorite film EVER, I went into this with high expectations, and my expectations were met. Director Zack Snyder(300, The Watchmen) made his career thanks to this remake, and made sure to keep most of the same elements of the original in this piece. Lots of gore, head shots, and some pretty fun scenes, Dawn of the Dead did everything right and helped me look past the blasphemous running zombies. Read my full review for this film here: Dawn of the Dead(remake)

31. Dance of the Dead

- Dance of the Dead is one of the most surprisingly good films of the decade. What I expected to be a silly teen zombie film cashing in on zombie pop culture instead turned out to be one of the most fun and utterly awesome zombie films I have ever seen. Mixing the relatable(unless you were home schooled) high school dance with teen hormones and a hoard of the undead, hilarious and gory results ensue in this highly positive film from Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Productions. Read my full review for this film here: Dance of the Dead

30. Death Note

- The live-action adaptation of the wildly popular anime series of the same name, Death Note is one of my favorite Japanese horror films of all time, and that comes due to its awesome and truly unique plot. Centering around a young law student who receives the ability to kill anyone he wishes and in any manner he chooses, we witness this law student turned vigilante use his ability to kill the country’s criminals at will until the authorities hire a worthy adversary to capture the young “criminal”. The cat and mouse game that ensues between the two is incredible to watch, and numerous shout-outs to the anime series are present thanks to a fantastic directing job from Shusuke Kaneko. Read my full review for this film here: Death Note

29. Moon

- Moon is one of the few films on this list who’s horror may be questionable to some, but I fully believe the Moon’s premise about a man(Sam Rockwell) realizing that the company he is working for has no intentions of returning him to his family, which is complimented with a harrowing revelation regarding who, or should I say WHAT he is. Duncan Jones(son of David Bowie) does a fantastic job executing the horror brought to screen, and his captivating sets, fantastic cinematography, and awesome performance from Sam Rockwell make Moon one of the decade’s greatest low-budget horror films. Read my full review for this film here: Moon

28. High Tension

- The first well-known French horror flick this decade, High Tension started it all when it comes to France’s stranglehold on the horror genre. Is France the new Italy? It seems so. This Alexandre Aja(The Hills Have Eyes remake, Mirrors, Piranha 3D) written/directed debut film is full of grit, gore, and throws in a great sexual twists the viewer never sees coming. Aja made a name fof himself with High Tension, and has become one of the genre’s most promising and sought after directors. The guy is awesome, and this film is awesome. Read my full review for this film here: High Tension

27. The Hills Have Eyes(remake)

- Few times are remakes positive experiences, and this Alexandra Aja remake surpasses that by in my opinion being BETTER than its 1977 Wes Craven original. Aja showed that even outside of his country he can not only deliver an awesome horror experience, an awesome horror experience that blows away most of the stuff from its home country…America. Awesome gore and good character performances make this a good watch and Aja’s execution keeps the intensity high. Vengeance reigns in this watch, and we all know I LOVE vengeance… Read my full review for this film here: The Hills Have Eyes(remake)

26. The Eye

- Probably the scariest Asian film of all time, The Eye scared the living hell out of me the first time I saw it. Centering on a young blind who’s cornea transplant allows her to see for the first time in her life, she is subjected to the supernatural tortures that the previous owner of the corneas suffered. Being true to how horror films SHOULD be watched, I viewed this flick while home alone and with all of the lights off. Needless to say, the very first scare in this film is the scariest scene I have ever seen. I will never forget how cold my chest got during that scene as my breath escaped me. No joke. To add to this, I showed this to a female friend once and she cried, yes, CRIED! While this film is not entirely scary, the three or four scares in this film are tremendous and very well done. I dare you to watch this the way I did. Read my full review for this film here: The Eye

Before January 15th 2011 this series of posts contained the Top 50 Horror Movies of the Decade, it is now the Top 100 Horror Movies of the Decade.

Comments

Great list, I think your one of the firsts to recognize movies like Children and Triangle and Splinter, all great and hardly anyone has seen them. Two I don’t see so far that belong towards the top are Let the Right One In and Martyrs. I would also like to see on the list Frozen, Trick R Treat, Infection, Cabin Fever, All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, The Mist… to name a few.

Thank you for reading my post, and for the feedback as well. Most of those films that you mentioned did make my Top 100 series but on the relative posts. If you go towards the bottom of the page you should see links to the other 75 films in my top 100. Trick ‘r Treat, Cabin Fever, Martyrs, The Mist, and Let The Right One In made the list.

seriously?
me and my friends just watched the EYE (in the dark etc)
and i have NO, and i mean NO idea what you are on about, i would actually be more scared by steven hawkins being able to walk than this.
sorry mate but bad review.

ARE YOU DOWN?!?!?!
i would have been more interested in watching my turd for an hour and a half.
the girl that cried must have been picturing your face cos this film was so boring,
the only time i cried was when i cried out in pain cos i was was so bored
literally the best bit of the film was when i got a wedgy cos it gave me something to do
how can you give it such a good review?
i watched it how you said too and it didnt scare me or freak me out once, infact i laughed at how bad it was.
GIVE UP YOUR JOB!!!!! choose another profession!
i feel embarrassed for you your reveiw is that bad

This is not my profession Andrew(“Bob” haha), as I make no real money (per say) doing this. I am a professional however, and if you search reviews for the film in all of the major horror channels you will realize that the consensus agrees with me. Thanks for reading Mr. Dobbie.

I feel for you as far as the true horror that is Steven Hawkins, Sacha, but I stand by my review for this film and so does the overall horror community. Thanks for reading, and tell your friends I said “Hi”.

yh the film isnt bad just isnt scary.
most likely why i thought it was bad.
if you big a film like this up and say it made some one cry, you are gona make me think i was gona s*it my pants.
but tht didnt happen.